Message delivery device



Sept. 10, 1940. H. WHIPPLE MESSAGE DELIVERY DEVICE Filed Dec. 51, 193' Patented Sept. 10, 1940 UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE MESSAGE DELIVERY DEVICE Hudson Whipple, Madison, Ohio Application December 31, 1937, Serial No. 182,783

2 Claims.

My invention relates to an improved device for delivering messages and small articles to a person on 'a train or other rapidly moving vehicle. It is old to make such a delivery by attaching such a .5 message, or article, to a loop of twine or other flexible material, which loop is so mounted and held on a forked implement as to maintain the loop in a fully extended or open position through which the one receiving the message may thrust his arm as the fork is held in position beside a moving vehicle. In using such forked implement the message or article to be delivered is attached to the loop of flexible material which is then passed through holding notches in the ends of the arms of the fork with the held message or article attached to the loop between the ends of such arms. The opposite side of the loop is slipped beneath a spring clip from which it is readily drawn when the arm of the receiver pulls on such loop.

The object of my invention is the provision of means so indicating the position of a messagecarrying loop that it may be readily perceived at night.

A further object is the provision of a forked device which will present a vertical side of such message carrying loop toward the moving vehicle in parallel relation to the side of such moving vehicle, when the fork is held at a position above the holders head.

A further object is the provision of means illuminating the message so carried for delivery to a moving vehicle.

A further object is the provision of a unitary structure in such-forked device with means for carrying therewithin batteries for the illumination of the lights used therein.

The preferred form of my invention which I will describe is illustrated in the drawing wherein Fig. 1 shows an elevational view of my invention;

Fig. 2 shows an elevational side view thereof;

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged and in part cross-sectional view of a portion of Fig. l at the fork thereof; and Fig. 4 shows an enlarged, and in part cross-sectional view, of a portion of Fig. 2 at the fork thereof.

Referring to the drawing a handle I is provided in the form of a casing adapted to contain dry cell batteries end to end, or in series connection. On said handle a tubular shaft 2 is mounted by one end and on the opposite end of such shaft two tubular members 3 and 4 are mounted in forked relation, The member 3 is preferably made longer than member 4 for a purpose hereinafter explained. On either side of the juncture of'shaft 2 and members 3 and 4, spring clips 5 are so mounted that they open toward the free ends of members 3 and 4. At the junction of members 3 and 4, and at the free ends thereof, are mounted sockets 6 for small incandescent bulbs 71, which sockets are connectedin circuit with the batteries in the handle I. by wires within the said shaft 2 and arms 3 and 4. Such circuit is controlled by a switch 8' mounted on the side of the handle I. The wiring of said circuit including such batteries, switch and sockets will be readily under- 10 stood as standard practice and is not further explained.

Mounted about each socket 6 and its bulb l at thetermini of the arms 3 and 4 is a small globe 8 of translucent material. In the said globes 8 a small groove 9 is formed at the exterior end of each globe operative to receive and hold in position a side of a loop formed of suitable flexible material such as strong twine. Mounted about the socket 6 and bulb l at the junction of the arms 3 and 4 is a globe 9 similarly formed of translucent material. Said globe 9' is pierced at its exterior end by an opening l0 so positioned that a beam of light will be thrown by the bulb therewithin and illuminate an object ll attached to a loop 12 stretched between the ends of arms 3 and 4.

In operation, the message or article to be delivered to a person upon a moving vehicle, will be attached to a side of a loop l2 formed of a flexible material such as strong twine, The loop I 2 will then be passed about the ends of the arms 3 and 4 and will be positioned in the grooves 9 in the ends of globes 8 thereon. The opposite side of the loo-p l2 and any slack therein will be drawn into one of the slips 5. The device will be held by the user delivering a message with its longer arm upward in order that the side of the loop presented toward the moving vehicle will be substantially vertically parallel therewith. The clip chosen for use when the device is-to be used in this position will be the one toward the direction in which the vehicle is moving. The person on such vehicle desiring to receive such message or article will thrust an arm through the loop thus extended toward him and draw same from the device.

It will be apparent that by holding the device with the longer arm extending upward, the side of the loop between the ends of the arms will be held substantially vertical even though the loop is held above the head of the person delivering the message. This will aid the one on the moving vehicle in engaging such loop with his arm and Withdrawing it from the device. Similarly, it will be understood that at night, there will be practically no chance that the arm of the receiver will miss the loop inasmuch as the three luminous globes indicate the corners of a triangle about which the said loop is strung.

Other modes of applying the principles of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalentof such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In an article delivery device as described, a handle casing operative to hold a plurality of dry cell batteries in series relation; a tubular stafi mounted on said handle; two tubular arms of unequal length mounted inforked relation on said staff; a spring clip mounted on each side of the juncture of said arms with said staff and operative to receive and hold a loop of flexible material when extended about such forked arms; shells of translucent material mounted on the ends of said arms, said shells being terminally grooved for the reception of a side of such loop; a shell of translucent material mounted at the juncture of said arms, said shell being terminally pierced whereby a light Within the shell throws a beam on an article carried on such loop; an incandescent bulb in each of said shells; and wire means through said stall and said arms operatively connecting said incandescent bulbs with batteries in said handle casing.

2. The combination with an article delivery device as described having a staff and a pair of arms diverging from one end thereof to provide a Y shaped frame, of a light source located at the 7 end of each of said arms, and a third light source at their point of divergence, translucent globes surrounding such light sources at said arm-ends, said globes being terminally grooved in a plane substantially defined by said arms to hold in place a loop of flexible material extending about the latter, and a translucent globe likewise surrounding said third light source, said last mentioned globe having an aperture arranged to direct a beam or" light onto such cord intermediate of the ends of said arms.

' HUDSON WHIPPLE. 

